• Defence Notes

  Lawmakers seek to inject funds into military tech advancements

  24th July 2018

  US House and Senate lawmakers have hashed out a deal authorising next year's defence spending levels at $716 billion, and zeroing in on technology developments …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  FLA programme completes Phase 2 tests

  26th July 2018

  DARPA has completed Phase 2 flight tests for its Fast Lightweight Autonomy (FLA) programme, demonstrating advanced algorithms performing real-world tasks without human assistance. The programme …

• Military Logistics

  Saab to provide SDS for RAF’s Typhoons

  30th July 2018

  Saab has been selected by BAE Systems to develop a new pyrotechnic smart self-protection system for the Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft to defeat radar- and IR-guided …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  SeeByte renews UK MASTT software licences

  24th July 2018

  SeeByte has renewed all SeeTrack and Neptune licences currently used by the Royal Navy’s Maritime Autonomous Systems Trials Team (MASTT), the company announced on 18 …

• Defence Helicopter

  Ukrainian Army Aviation takes Mi-2MSB-Vs

  23rd July 2018

  According to Col Igor Yeremenko, Commanding Officer of the Ukrainian Army Aviation, in early June an undisclosed army aviation brigade took on strength Mi-2MSB-V helicopters …

• Naval Warfare

  Denmark requests SM-2 Block IIIA standard missiles

  2nd August 2018

  The US State Department has made a determination approving a potential foreign military sale of up to 46 standard missiles, SM-2 Block IIIA all-up rounds, …

• Naval Warfare

  Umoe Mandal to support Type 26 programme

  27th July 2018

  Umoe Mandal has received a contract to supply three shipsets of composite mast and SCOT Sponsons structures for the Royal Navy’s Type 26 Global Combat …

• Digital Battlespace

  BAE’s flight controls for UAE’s next-generation F-16s

  24th July 2018

  BAE Systems’ advanced Digital Flight Control Computer (DFDC) has been selected by Lockheed Martin to upgrade the United Arab Emirates' (UAE's) F-16 fleet, the company …

• Defence Notes

  Gulf states approved for $1.3 billion in US munitions purchases in 2018

  14th August 2018

  Gulf states have traditionally been keen buyers of western, mainly US, military equipment. A number of possible recent programmes and ongoing procurement processes demonstrate the …

• Defence Helicopter

  UK helicopter manufacturing sits at a political crossroads

  14th August 2018

  As the UK’s parliament is in the midst of its annual summer recess, now is the time to take stock and see through the political …

• Naval Warfare

  BAE Pacific 24 boat build set to grow

  5th July 2018

  The Royal Navy (RN) is likely to order more Pacific 24 Mk IV Rigid Inflatable Boats (RIB) from BAE Systems once the initial order for …

• Land Warfare

  TEK seating for India’s M777 howitzers

  25th July 2018

  TEK Military Seating has been selected to design, manufacture and supply commander seats for the M777 howitzer systems being built by BAE Systems for the Indian …

• Special Operations

  COBRA becomes option for AT-802L Longsword

  19th July 2018

  Air Tractor and L3 Technologies have added BAE Systems’ COBRA multi-function signals intelligence and electronic warfare sensor family of systems as an option for the …

• Naval Warfare

  Back to the drawing board for Type 31e project

  24th July 2018

  While the UK continues to pop the champagne over its Australia success with BAE Systems' Type 26 design win, the programme for the smaller Type …

• Military Logistics

  BAE to expand operations in Alabama

  19th July 2018

  BAE Systems is expanding its operations in Huntsville, Alabama, with a $45.5 million investment project, the company announced on 16 July. The company has planned …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Skyborg [USA]

  Programme Background Programme Intention Skyborg is one of three USAF Vanguard programs outlined in the Air Force Science and Technology 2030 initiative. The program intends ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  FPV Drones [Lithuania]

  Programme Background Ukraine FPV Drones On 5 April 2024, the Lithuanian MoD announced it would purchase around 3,000 Lithuanian-made FPV drones to give to Ukraine ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  FPV Drones [Moldova]

  Programme Background Lithuanian Drones Lithuania's Minister of National Defense, Laurynas Kasciunas, announced that Lithuanian-produced thermal night vision devices and FPV drones had begun being delivered to Moldova during ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  FPV Drones (Ukraine Aid) [Lithuania]

  Programme Background 3000 FPV Drones On 5 April 2024, the Lithuanian MoD announced it would purchase around 3,000 Lithuanian-made FPV drones to give to Ukraine to ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  V-Bat [Netherlands]

  Background Contract Award On 9 July 2025, Shield AI announced that the Netherlands MoD had acquired eight V-Bat, specifically the V-Bat 400, aircraft to enhance the maritime intelligence, surveillance ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  V-Bat 128 (Brazil)

  Programme Background On 7 February 2022, Sheild AI announced on its website that it had signed a contract with VSK Tactical which included the 'purchase of [the] V-Bat ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Group Unmanned Isr DronE (GUIDE) [Netherlands]

  Background Competition On 14 March 2025, the Netherlands announced on the EU tendering website a competition sounding the future procurement of 514 UAVs for intelligence, surveillance, ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Loyal Wingan [Japan]

  Programme Background Drone Appetite Released in December 2022, the Defence Building Program (DBP) called on the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) to replace some human assets with uncrewed ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Replicator 1 [US]

  Programme Background Announcement & Requirement In late August 2023, Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks announced the Replicator programme, an effort to galvanise an industry which ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Mi2 Challenge [USN]

  Programme Background Requirements The USN wants a UAV to be flown in austere environments without dedicated launch or recovery equipment; since it would be launched ...

• Loitering munitions

  Artemis [US]

  Background Origin Artemis began in 2024 due to the US European Command and Indo-Pacific Command's demand for UAVs that met the following requirements. As part ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  XM30 Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle [USA]

  Programme Background Requirement The OMFV programme is the latest of several attempts to develop a Bradley replacement.  Designed to be capable of operating with or without ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Air Launched Effect (ALE) [South Korea]

  Programme Background KF-21 Boramae Crewed Fighter The Republic of Korea's Air Force (ROKAF) plans to acquire the KF-21 Boramae fighter, replacing F-4E Phantom II and ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  ACV-30 PRTV (USA)

  Programme Background The Armoured Combat Vehicle (ACV) programme is intended to provide a replacement for the USMC's fleet of Amphibious Assault Vehicle 7 (AAV7) tracked ...

• ARV (USMC)

  Programme Background The ARV constitutes one component of a wider USMC effort to develop an interconnected network of manned and unmanned platforms more suited to ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Loitering munitions

  Viper 10

  The Viper 10 is a rotary-wing first-person view (FPV) drone from Baltic Viper. The loitering munition quadcopter has a 4kg payload, a reinforced communication system, and ...

• UAS: flight control systems

  Hivemind

  Developed by Shield AI, Hivemind is an ecosystem of tightly integrated AI software tools and interfaces that leverages several factors to deliver  intelligent and resilient autonomy ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Netra 5

  Launched at Aero India 2025, the Netra 5 is a rotary-wing UAV manufactured by ideaForge. It can host a 900g EO/IR camera and drop a ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  GA-10FPV-AI

  The GA-10FPV-AI is a Lithuanian FPV quadcopter drone manufactured by Granta Autonomy. The drone can carry a 3kg payload and operate in GNSS-denied environments. In September 2024, Granta Autonomy ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  TETTRON TM-450

  The Tettron TM-450 is a micro rotary-wing UAV manufactured by Thunder Tiger. The primary mission of the drone is to provide short-range reconnaissance (SRR), particularly ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  INTeACT

  Developed by BAE Systems, INTeACT is a next-generation combat management system for surface vessels with a dedicated software development kit (SDK). Notably, it includes AI-powered ...

• Loitering munitions

  FWD-LM01

  The FWD-LM01 is a loitering munition unveiled by Flying Wedge Defence & Aerospace at the Paris Air Show 2025. The manufacturer states the drone is built for ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  UAS Concept 1

  In July 2022, BAE Systems revealed two UAV concepts. The UAS Concept 1 is described as a small, versatile aircraft designed to augment existing forces ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Jump 20-X

  Unveiled at IDEX 2025, the Jump 20-X is an advancement of AeroVironment's Jump 20 UAV. It is a small (Group 3), fixed-wing, VTOL-capable aircraft with a heavy-fuel ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Nova 2

  The Nova 2 is a rotary-wing UAV designed by Sheild AI. The platform features Level 5 autonomy, allowing it to autonomously traverse complex domains without an operator's ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Cinder

  Dragoon Technology is a UAV being developed for the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU)'s Artemis effort.  In May 2025, Teledyne FLIR announced it had teamed with Dragoon to offer ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Autonomous Collaborative Platform (ACP)

  In July 2022, BAE Systems revealed two UAV concepts, one later being branded Concept 2, or the Autonomous Collaborative Platform (ACP), at DSEI 2023.  Signage near ...

• Military UGVs

  Robotics Technology Demonstrator

  BAE Systems unveiled its Robotics Technology Demonstrator (RTD) at the AUSA exhibition in 2019. Designed to meet the requirements of the US Army's Robotic Combat ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  Inquisithor

  Shephard saw the Inquisithor at DSA 2024. It is a quadcopter UAV from ProLab Engineering. It is highly customisable and can be changed to a user's requirements ...

• Air: aerial targets, Loitering munitions

  Super Simsek

  The Super Simsek (Süper Şimşek) is an improved version of the Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) training drone turned loitering munition.  The drone has reconfigurable payload options ...